NCAA Announces Unprecedented Sanctions Against Penn State
By Tony Hanson, Oren Libermann
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (CBS) - The NCAA announced unprecedented sanctions against Penn State's football program for the alleged cover-up of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal.
"What we can do is impose sanctions that both reflect the magnitude of these terrible acts, and that also ensure that Penn State will rebuild an athletic culture that went horribly awry," said NCAA President Mark Emmert. "Our goal is to not be just punitive, but to make sure that the university establishes an athletic culture and daily mindset in which football will never again be placed ahead of educating, nurturing, and protecting young people."
Emmert said the sanctions imposed are as follows:
- NCAA is imposing a fine of $60 million on the University (equivalent to proceeds of one year) -- An endowment will be established to be used around the nation to serve victims of child abuse
- Penn State Football will be banned from bowl games and post season play for 4 years
- Initial scholarship reduced from 25 to 15 per year for four years
- Enter, returning athletes are able to transfer and immediately complete
- NCAA to vacate all wins of the football team from 1998 to 2011 and record will reflect change
- Football program on 5-year probationary period
- NCAA reserve right to initiate an investigation and impose sanctions on individuals
The NCAA said other corrective actions will be put into place to ensure the changes occur.
READ: Paterno Family Releases Statement
READ: Penn State Athletic Director & Head Coach Issue Statements
READ: Penn Staters React To Imposed Sanctions
READ: Pa. Governor Corbett Reacts
READ: Recruits No Longer Interested
Emmert said they debated the "death penalty" and felt their sanctions needed to affect cultural change and feel the sanctions they crafted are more "impactful."
Emmert said the university can now focus on rebuilding over the next few years and not focus on going to a bowl game.
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The Big Ten also announced penalties against Penn State, stating along with censuring them, the University will also be ineligible for Big Ten Conference Championship Games for four years, a period of time that runs concurrently with the NCAA postseason bowl ban imposed this morning. This leaves them ineligible to receive their share of Big Ten Conference bowl revenues which is estimated to be approximately $13 million. The Big Ten says that money will also be donated to established charitable organizations in Big Ten communities dedicated to the protection of children.
Sunday, Penn State removed the famed Joe Paterno statue. Paterno, once known as the "winningest" coach ever, has just had his wins dropped from 409 to 297 -- based on sanctions imposed by the NCAA.
Fans at the site where the statue once stood proudly, gaped and took pictures of the open space. Some cried, others left flowers and signs by the tarp-covered fence blocking the view of what is now nothing. Some students and alumni say they are saddened and angry that Joe Paterno's legacy and generations of good works have been annihilated like he didn't exist -- except for the bad acts alleged in this case.
"Sixty years of great works completely wiped out by one bad decision. I just can't accept it," said Vincent Tedesco.
Tedesco stood with a cardboard cutout of Joe Pa., the only sign of the late legend outside the stadium he built.
LISTEN: Angelo Cataldi & The 94WIP Morning Show React To Sanctions
